You get it, right? The emotional weather report for the next weekend can forecast some fairly volatile storms, the possibility of patchy, disorienting veils of unfathomable fog ~~~ as well as heady, high altitude, sunny, picture-perfect atmospheric conditions. All because of St. Valentine, and the weighty burden we’ve laid on him.

The ability to feel and express the emotion of love is one of the most beautiful aspects of being human. In it’s purest form, it’s a direct pipeline to all that is good in the world, and everything we believe in on a spiritual level. But feeling, and expressing, are at times nebulous characteristics with thousands of challenging, myriad nuances and plot twists to grasp. All we can do is strive to offer our best.

Over the ages, chocolate has – oh yes, as we already are well aware of – taken on a fairly substantial role in the expression of those things it is sometimes unbearably, excruciatingly, blush-and-turn-running, heart-in-the-throat challenging to say.

“I LOVE YOU!” Oh, God help me I’ve said it. How will he/she take it? Will he say ANYTHING back? What’s taking her so LONG??! I’ve BLOWN it!!!! All thought frantically in a matter of 1. 78 seconds, don’t you know.

Take a deep breath, you lovers, we lovers, and smile. Take another one. We know we need to! And if you happen to be – in the most delicious love affair of all time, I am glad! Love. It makes me smile. And that smile, it’s a savior. When you practice — more smiles show up. They arrive from deep inside, surfacing and bursting free all over your face. And then they reflect back to you from the outside world. You might receive a deluge. I think the Universe LOVES it, when we smile. And, smiling is likely a pretty high possibility when you put these brownies on your to – do list, I almost guarantee it. And while we’re at it, taking a little peek at one of the most lovely chocolate themed movies of all time surely will help. Chocolat…..  And then head out to the kitchen.

Sour Cherry Chocolate Brownies with Browned Butter Chocolate Glaze

Gluten free of course. Enjoyed warm with ice cream or by the square, these are absolutely moist and wonderful, with bursts of tart cherry delighting the senses! The browned butter adds a distinctive, nutty flavor to the chocolate glaze. Share with someone you love.

• ½ c. quality butter, such as Challenge Butter
• ½ organic brown sugar
• ½ c. organic cocoa
• 2 tbsp. orange zest
• 1 tsp. orange extract
• 2 organic eggs
• ¾ c. gluten free flour blend: 1 part sorghum flour, 1 part rice flour, one part tapioca flour
• 1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1 ½ c. sour pitted cherries

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 9 inch baking pan. Cream first five ingredients until well blended. Beat in eggs. Whisk in dry ingredients. Fold in cherries.  Scrape batter into prepared pan, and bake in center of oven for 25 minutes. Gently check center of brownies with your finger. If brownies are set and spring back slightly, remove from oven and cool.

Browned Butter Chocolate Glaze

• 1 1/2 c. best quality chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp. best quality butter

In a shallow skillet, melt butter over medium heat, swirling in pan until it begins to brown. Let the color deepen just slightly as you continue to tilt and swirl the butter in the pan. Turn heat to low, pour in the chocolate chips, and whisk to blend. Turn off heat and let remain on the burner until you are ready to glaze the brownies, then, pour over the brownies and smooth. Cool before eating – or not.